Seven Sins System Chapter 583. Sacred Rites

Seven Sins System Chapter 583. Sacred Rites

I barely stopped myself from jerking away. “What are you doing?” she whispered, her voice low, barely audible over the silence.

I glanced at her, my mind still on high alert. “Did you not hear him?” I whispered back. “He knows I’m here. He knows my identity.”

She blinked. Then her lips curved slightly, amused.

“No, he doesn’t,” she whispered back. “Most priests say that at the beginning of their sermons.”

I stared at her. “…What.”

She squeezed my hand lightly, as if telling me to calm the fuck down. “It’s a figure of speech,” she whispered. “An opening line meant to remind the faithful to remain vigilant against temptation.”

I slowly exhaled through my nose, forcing my muscles to relax.

Holy shit!

For a moment, I thought—no, I was convinced—that he had actually sensed me.

That someone in this temple had found me out.

But no.

No, this was just standard religious bullshit.

I wanted to punch something.

Puriel, sensing my frustration, smirked. “Are you embarrassed?” she whispered.

I shot her a flat glare. “Shut up.”

She laughed under her breath, before turning her attention back to the saint.

Meanwhile, I was trying to will myself to calm the fuck down.

The saint continued speaking, his voice carrying across the vast temple hall.

“In the Tome of Chastity, it is written: Purity is not merely of the body, but of the soul. To walk the path of the Holy Mother, one must forsake temptation and embrace the light with unwavering faith.”

The congregation nodded along, some murmuring soft prayers under their breath.

I, on the other hand, was fighting the urge to roll my eyes so hard they’d fall out of my skull.

The Tome of Chastity? Really?

I side-eyed Puriel. “So, uh,” I whispered. “You wrote that?”

She didn’t look at me. “I inspired it.”

I snorted quietly. “Riiight. So basically, someone wrote a book about your whole ‘no fun allowed’ philosophy.”

She flicked me a sharp look. “That’s not what it means.”

“Sure it isn’t.”

Before she could retaliate, the saint raised his arms again, continuing the sermon.

“We must always remember,” he said, voice deep and commanding, “that the devil’s influence is ever-present. It lurks in the corners of our minds, whispering false desires, leading us astray from righteousness.”

Okay, yeah.

Now I was definitely taking this personally.

I leaned toward Puriel again. “Hey. That sounds kinda personal.”

She sighed. “It’s not about you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“He’s really going off about devils, though.”

She shot me a warning look. “Azrael.”

I smirked. “What? I feel attacked.”

She shook her head, choosing to ignore me, while the sermon continued.

But my mind was already elsewhere.

Because even though I had overreacted earlier—even though the saint’s words had just been a generic speech— Something still didn’t sit right with me.

That off feeling from earlier?

It hadn’t gone away.

If anything— It was getting stronger.

I could sense it now.

Something watching from beyond the temple walls.

Something waiting.

That feeling from earlier wasn’t just paranoia. It was real.

But I couldn’t pinpoint it.

I exhaled slowly, forcing my attention back to the present. I needed to stay focused, keep playing along.

Then— The priest spoke again.

“The devil is the source of all suffering,” his voice rang out, laced with righteous conviction. “He whispers in your ear, tempts you with the pleasures of the flesh, lures you into sin. And when you fall, he claims your soul, dragging it into the abyss, where you will suffer for all eternity!”

I cringed. ‘Shit…’

Why did this feel like a place dedicated to blaspheming and slandering the devil?

I resisted the urge to groan out loud.

Seriously?

I mean—yeah, sure. We were the ones running Hell. We were the torturers in the underworld. We handled punishment, managed the flow of souls, and yeah—sometimes we got summoned by mortals willing to bargain away their souls for power, wealth, revenge—whatever stupid shit they wanted.

And yeah, sure—some devils enjoyed inciting mortals to sin.

But not always!

Yet this jackass was standing there, spitting fire and brimstone, acting like everything was our fault.

If it was really our fault— Then why the fuck were we also the ones torturing the damned souls?

Like, seriously. Think about it. If devils were so evil, why were we the ones enforcing punishment?

Why were we the ones whipping the sinners, burning them, breaking their bones, drowning them, making them live their worst nightmares over and over again?

Wouldn’t that make us the ones upholding divine law?

I turned to Puriel, voice low and irritated. “You hearing this shit?”

She didn’t look at me. “Azrael, just let it go.”

I scoffed. “Let it go? The guy’s standing up there acting like devils are the reason their entire world is fucked.”

She sighed, rubbing her temple. “You’re a devil.”

“Yeah, and?”

“And devils don’t exactly have the best reputation.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, but this is a whole new level of slander.”

She shot me a warning glance. “Lower your voice.”

I clenched my jaw, but I did lower my voice. “I mean, come on, Puriel. You and I both know damn well that half of this shit is exaggerated.”

She exhaled sharply, finally looking at me. “Half?”

I smirked. “Fine. Seventy-thirty.”

She gave me a deadpan stare.

I smirked wider.

The priest’s voice rose again, drowning out our whispering.

“Do not be fooled by the devil’s false promises! He will disguise himself as a friend, a benefactor, a savior—but in truth, he is nothing but a deceiver! A corrupter! A being of pure, vile darkness that must be eradicated for the sake of the righteous!”

I winced.

Okay.

That one stung a little.

Vile darkness?

Must be eradicated?

Excuse me?

I resisted the urge to raise my hand and ask why Puriel was literally sitting right next to me, perfectly fine, not smiting my ass on the spot.

Instead, I muttered under my breath, “That’s funny. Because the so-called ‘righteous’ are the ones who keep summoning us when they want to commit crimes.”

Puriel pinched the bridge of her nose. “Azrael.”

“What?” I whispered. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

She didn’t.

Instead, she sighed. “You’re missing the point.”

I raised a brow. “Oh, please, enlighten me.”

She gave me a flat look. “You’re getting offended over something you don’t even care about.”

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it.

Then frowned.

…Shit.

She was right.